Civics is the study of the rights and duties of citizenship, which can encompass government, religion, community service and more. In the third grade, students start learning about some of these rights and responsibilities, as well as some of the historical events that have shaped them. Combining classroom instruction with hands-on activities is a great way to engage younger students with the material and to help them learn it more easily.

Illustrated Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights is a critical document guaranteeing the rights of citizens. However, the language in the Bill of Rights can be quite difficult for young children to understand. Teachers can explain what each of the 10 rights are in the Bill of Rights in simple language, such as "people can't charge you really big fines, and they can't torture you" for the eighth amendment. After going over each amendment, students should be instructed to illustrate their own Bill of Rights based on notes on the board from the lesson. This can include a picture of someone talking and another person holding a cross for the first amendment, and a picture of a house for the fourth amendment. Students should be encouraged to be creative.

Branches of Government

Children must learn about the three branches of government to better understand how laws are made and how the rights of citizens are protected. Teachers should explain what each branch does and how the branches check and balance each other to make sure that no one branch becomes too powerful. For example, the judicial branch can overturn laws passed by the legislative branch. Students can create a chart that lists the powers of each branch. They can then draw arrows between the branches to see how they check each other. For example, "pass laws" can be listed under the legislative branch, and an arrow can point from it to "veto laws" under the executive branch.

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Influential Figures

Civics includes the study of how individual citizens are responsible for protecting their own rights. Many influential figures throughout history fought for their own rights and the rights of others. Review some notable examples with the class, such as civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks. Talk about what they did to stand up for the rights of citizens and how they embodied the values of America. Then ask students to choose a person they think stood up for the rights of others and to create a report to share with the class. The report should include biographical details, as well as information about how the person made a difference for others.

Web of Community

Community is key to civics. It is important for students to understand how they are connected in a community and how their actions are important. Teachers can present a scenario to students asking them to think about all the things they love about their community, such as a park they play at or the church they attend. Then they can ask students what they would do if that was all taken away by a storm or accident, like Hurricane Katrina. Holding a ball of yarn, teachers can ask students what they could do to help people in a community who lost everything. Each time a student answers, the ball of yarn is passed, with the student holding onto a piece of it. As the discussion progresses, the yarn will crisscross between students, creating a web. Teachers can use this visual to note how we are all connected in a community and that what each of us does matters.

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About the Author

Maria Magher has been working as a professional writer since 2001. She has worked as an ESL teacher, a freshman composition teacher and an education reporter, writing for regional newspapers and online publications. She has written about parenting for Pampers and other websites. She has a Master's degree in English and creative writing.